(Photo courtesy of lucagiabardo.com)
Editing your shots doesn't just mean fixing any defects in brightness and contrast but also giving them new life. Cropping your photos can in fact be an excellent solution to bring value and a different point of view to the image.
How you do it?
Let's find out, obviously starting from a minimum of theoretical information, which is also important for creating an excellent shot, an ideal condition for editing that adds value and not only serves to correct errors.
Photographic portrait rules
There are five rules that we can consider as an excellent basis for a photographic portrait. Here they are:
1# Never forget the rule of thirds
This rule, universal and valid for any type of photographic shot, provides that the framed area is divided by two imaginary vertical lines that cut the image into thirds.
Precisely on one of these two lines we will have to "place" the point of greatest interest of our shot, which in a portrait is usually represented by the eyes.
2# Ithe photographer's point of view
The photographer's point of view can be decisive in enhancing a certain detail of a photo or portrait. That's why you shouldn't worry too much about taking a few seconds to find the best position and distance possible.
The right point of view can transform a photo like any other into something unique.
3# Choose the right orientation
Each type of photo has a "best" orientation. If the horizontal one is the same for the panorama, for the portraits there is no alternative to the vertical one.
4# But where are you looking?
Does the subject have to look directly into the lens or do we prefer him to look towards one of the two sides?
In the second case it is a good idea to leave some empty, free space in the direction in which the subject is looking. In this way we will keep attention on the subject of the portrait without, unconsciously, the person looking at the photo looking at what the subject of the shot is observing.
#5 Be careful what you cut away
Not all of your subject will fit in your portrait, so be careful about which part you cut out. Better to avoid cuts corresponding to the joints or fingers.
Black and white portraits, the rules
When the desire to take the photograph is to focus on black and white, we must add some further considerations to the points indicated above.
In particular we will have to pay attention to the play of light and expressions that can transform a photographic shot into a masterpiece. Without going into too many technicalities, we will have to pay particular attention to avoiding glare and managing the light correctly. A softer light will in fact give a more classic idea to the subject, while a more intense one will highlight the characteristics more.
Now that the shot is done it's time to think about editing.
Crop your photos, why?
Cropping your photos is what can make the difference between framing and composition.
This is because framing is the action of taking the photo itself, a step that is certainly fundamental, but never the last in the process of taking a good photo.
The icing on the cake is represented by the composition, an act in which what we have photographed is highlighted through the composition.
The latter is an art with precise rules that derive from the artistic world of painting and are one of the "few" things that electronics and artificial intelligences still cannot do like a human.
What are the rules of composing and cropping photos?
Precautions that can really make the difference in the final result
But what are the rules of composition? What are the precautions to pay attention to? Discover 8 tricks for cropping your photos that can really make a difference in how the final subject turns out.
Even the best photos can be ruined if they aren't cropped correctly. It's easy to get carried away with cropping as you can take away more and more of what might seem like an unnecessary part of the image. This can quickly lead to too much cropping. Or the opposite can happen if you're worried about taking away too much. Believe it or not, sometimes even professionals need tips to crop their photos better. So here are 8 tips to better crop your photos so you avoid making mistakes.
8 essential tips for cropping your photos
#1 Tell the story of the shot in its entirety.
If you immortalize a moment or an action, never make the mistake of cutting out something that is a fundamental part of it.
The context of the photo, the action, must remain completely understandable even after the cropping operation.
#2 It's all or nothing
This is almost a continuation or extension of the previous point, among the basic rules of how to crop your photo there is also that of removing those objects or details present partially. Unless your intent is to create a "photobomb", always remember the primary design rule "less is more".
#3 The right height
When cropping a subject you should also pay close attention to the observer's point of view. It is therefore essential to crop so that at a "standard" viewing distance of the photo everything is visible in a harmonious manner. The framed subject must therefore be of the right size within the background and placed in the correct viewing area of the background. Don't forget another essential rule of design, that of the correct management of empty spaces.
#4 Cropping doesn't always have to "centralize"
Placing the subject inside the photo is not necessarily the best possible setting for the photo. So let's go back to the rule of thirds explained above and the fact that a crop where the main subject is not the central figure can really be an action that transforms and highlights your photo.
#5 Cut yes, but with knowledge
Never create a crop that gives a cropped effect. Don't crop fingers, ears or the tip of your nose in your profile photos. If you have to cut out the subject's legs and arms, try to do it in a natural way, avoiding the cut being right at the extremities or joints.
#6 Don't worry, you can cut the mistakes away
The composition of the photo has among its many advantages and prerogatives the possibility of correcting errors during the shooting phase.
If at that stage you missed something, or on the contrary it remained inside the shot, nothing better than removing it now.
#7 Crop “in series”
If your shot is part of a series, collection, or photo album, try to apply the same cropping rules to all shots if possible. Just as the shot is taken on a "coherent" set, the same thing must also happen for the composition.
#8 It's not just about angles
Just because the majority of photos are square or horizontal doesn't mean the same thing has to happen for every crop. A particular portrait might be highlighted by an oval or round shape, a format that you shouldn't have too much trouble using when necessary.
8 essential tips for cropping your photos, to conclude
Not just a corrective, the action of cropping and composition, if well mastered, can also be a system to give greater quality and value to the photo itself. From this point of view, digital "postproduction" is ideal, because it allows you to experiment and retrace your steps without any kind of problem.
So don't have any particular problems experimenting with the various cropping techniques, you may be pleasantly surprised by the result obtained.
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